Bleeding Heart

By: Michelle




Almost all of the FF characters sat around the ramble room, looking relatively bored out of their minds. Lark was in one corner on the phone with Sephiroth sitting next to her as she talked.

 "Yes, I have 4 others coming…yes… the fourth is my friend Michelle…Amy's sister!"

 At the mention of Amy, Sephiroth paled. She was a nice girl and all, but she was a little…*obsessed* with him, which could be scary at times.

 Aw man, she's related to Amy? he panicked. This can't be good…I need to get rid of her…

 He eyed Rufus at the other end of the room. The ex-President might've been dumb as a rock, but there was one thing he did understand-money.

 Trying to have some confidence, Sephiroth strolled over, mustering up the most sincere smile he could.

 Rufus saw him from a mile away and hid behind the couch. With eyes rolling in response, Sephiroth leaned over the back and peered down.

 "Please don't hurt me!" Rufus pleaded, cringing.

 "Relax, pretty-boy," Sephiroth reassured, "I'm here to talk business."

 Rufus relaxed and his eyes lit up. "Business? Like money business?"

 Sephiroth pulled 2,000 gil out of his pocket as persuasion. "Yes."

 Rufus was in euphorics. "What do you want me to do?"

 Sephiroth smiled to himself. "There's someone I need you to…dispose of."

 Rufus's face fell slightly. "Who?"

 "A girl around here. Her name's Michelle and she's currently in Midgar. She's supposed to arrive tomorrow, but I want to be rid of her. Don't worry about evidence-"

 "Woah, woah, don't insult me! I never mess up a job…er, the Turks don't anyway. Do you have a picture of her?"

 A sweatdrop appeared over Sephiroth's head. "One moment…" He snuck back over to Lark and pulled a picture out of her wallet. It was a group pic of her and her friends at the end of the year. He tore the end with Michelle off and replaced the torn picture back into her purse before she could notice.

 "Here." He handed it to Rufus.

 He whistled low. "Wow, she's pretty. Too bad for her…"

 Sephiroth rushed on. "Can they get it done?"

 Rufus shrugged. "They always do. But only Reno's here right now."

 "That's fine, one person will do."

 "Alright then." Rufus motioned to Reno, who was sitting under the lamp trying to get a tan. He moaned and got up.

 "What do you want?"

 "I have a job for you."

 "I'm done with that," he informed.

 "Just this once more, there's money involved."

 "There always is." He sighed. "What do you need me to do?"

 "There's this girl you need to kill-"

 Sephiroth's head snapped up. "Rufus! Shh!"

 Rufus blushed. "Sorry… She's in Midgar right now."

 "Where in Midgar? It's a pretty big place you know."

 Rufus shrugged and looked at Sephiroth.

 "She's working at a Sector 5 bar I think Lark said," he informed.

 Reno took to picture and looked it over. His sunglasses dropped, revealing his wide-eyed expression. "Wow, she's hot! Such a shame she's gonna be worm food in 6 hours. I'm on it."

 He left immediately before Rufus and Sephiroth could react.

 "That was fast," Sephiroth commented.

 Rufus walked over to where Lark was and picked up the wallet, looking at the ripped picture. "Yeah…"

* * *

 The sky was almost dark as Reno walked through Sector 5. The drunks and bums were coming out of the dark corners and filling the targeted bar quicker than normally seen.

 Reno followed them into the dim room. It was small and extremely crowded. The smell of stale cigars and gin filled the room.
 Geez, there must be somethin' special in a dump like this if it's so popular, he thought. He took a seat and looked up. An old wench stood in front of him in a tattered, stained loose-fitting white shirt and a pair of bicycle shorts.

 "What would you like, sweet-cheeks?" she asked in a deep, raspy voice.

 "Just get me a beer," he answered. He had to concentrate-this was serious business.

 "Alright." She turned and screamed, "A mug out here, babe!!!" Then she walked to the side to serve another customer.

 "Okay!" a pretty voice called back. Through the swinging door stumbled the most beautiful girl Reno had ever seen. She was tall and thin, with long legs and shining blonde hair. She carried a tray full of shots and other alcohol. The weight pressed onto her shoulder in an unnaturally painful way. She slammed it down onto the counter and looked up, giving out orders.

 Reno forgot to breathe. God she's gorgeous! I have to kill *her*? Aw man…

 She handed Reno a mug but he pushed it away. She gave him an odd look with a smile. "Did I get the order wrong?"

 "No," he corrected her. His stare didn't falter.

 She shifted uncomfortably as she continued to smile. "What is it then?"

 Reno shook himself. Business, he reminded himself. But something about her…

 He couldn't concentrate. The stuffy atmosphere made it impossible for him to breathe. As she turned away to continue work, he got up and walked out…and straight into Sephiroth's chest.

 "Going so soon?" he taunted. Rufus was beside him glaring.

 "I believe you have a job to do," he reinforced.

 Reno tried to find an excuse. "C'mon, Rufus, she's just a kid!"

 Sephiroth growled and took him by the collar. "I don't give who she is, I paid you to do something, now get it done!"

 "And just so you don't back down again…" Rufus implied.

 That signaled Rude and Tseng to step out from behind them in the shadows.

 Reno broke into a sweat. He was really trapped now.

 "I think you'll make the right choice." Sephiroth taunted once more before he and Rufus left for the ramble room.

 Reno looked over the stern expressions of Rude and Tseng before sighing and lowering his shoulders. "C'mon, guys, don't make me do this…"

 "What happened to the Reno who never gave a damn about who he hurt?" Tseng asked. "Don't go soft on me now."

 Reno looked to Rude for support but his friend's expression mimicked Tseng's. "Buddy?"

 "Turks never let their emotions get in the way, Reno, remember?" Rude reminded him.

 Reno shook his head. "No, this is different."

 "No it isn't," Tseng scolded. "Reno, you gotta do what you gotta do. And you gotta do this, man."

 He realized that there was no way out of this, so he mumbled a gruff "Fine" and walked back into the entrance.

 The barmaid was no where to be found. She was either in the back or had left. Reno walked back out and to the bar's back door in the next alley.

* * *

 It was another hour before anybody came through the door. Luckily, Michelle was the first one to come out.

 Reno stood from his leaning position from against the brick side and blocked her path.

 "Oh!" she cried in surprise. She smiled her pretty smile again at him and he could already feel himself melt.

 "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," he apologized fakely.

 Because of his superior acting skills she couldn't trace the insincerity in his voice. "That's okay." She giggled. "I thought you disappeared off this planet," she joked.

 "Nope, still here," he joked back.

 "Well do you want something?"

 Reno's hand fumbled with the Nightstick in his pocket. She stared at him oddly, wondering what he was doing. But he didn't have the heart…he couldn't do it, not to her. "You wanna go somewhere?"

 She was taken aback by the question. "Like where?"

 He shifted himself up to his full height and cleared his throat. "I dunno, anyplace good around here?"

 She answered, "I wouldn't know either, I've only been here a few days."

 "Oh really?" he pressed.

 "Yeah, I'm only in Midgar temporarily. I'm going to my friend's place tomorrow."

 This was all stuff Reno knew, but he persisted anyway. "That sounds nice, where does your friend live?"

 She opened and closed her mouth. "Around," she replied, trying not to give too much about herself away. She smiled again to hide her uneasiness.

 Reno took her arm and led her out of the alley and back towards the exit to Midgar. She was easily relaxed and doon she started walking by herself.

 "Where are we going?"

 "I really don't know, but away from here," Reno told her.

 She stopped. "Um…"

 "What?"

 "Could I ask what your name is?"

 He laughed and shook his head. "I'm Reno."

 She seemed pleased with the answer. "I'm Michelle."

 "I know-" He caught himself.

 She gave him another odd look. "How?"

 He thought quickly and pointed to her nametag. "From there." That could be true.

 "Oh!" She laughed and started walking again. "So are you from around here?" she inquired.

 "Yes, I've lived here my whole life."

 "It's a big city," she commented.

 "Yeah, but it used to be bigger."

 "Oh?"

 He explained. "A while back, one of the Sectors- 7- was demolished."

 "How did that happen?" she asked, a note of concern in her voice.

 "Natural disaster," he lied. No need for her to know the truth.

 Once out of Midgar, they walked to the water's edge. For a moment, Michelle had taken the lead and followed the rocky path down.

 "You seem to know your way around pretty well for someone who's only been here a few days," he observed.

 She stopped, puzzled. "Yeah…this feels familiar…" She shrugged and let Reno catch up to her.

 Trying to be charming, he attempted to put an arm around her. But because he was so distracted, he failed to notice the rock sticking up from the ground and tripped over it, rolling forward headfirst before coming to a stop a few yards away.

 Michelle laughed and ran ahead to help him. "Smooth, Romeo."

 He blushed and grinned sheepishly as she helped him to his feet. He proceeded to brush himself off.

 "Are you okay?"

 "Fine!" he replied confidently. "It takes a lot to hurt me…" Like a shot to the shoulder or being impaled.

  She shrugged and they continued on.

 A few feet away, Reno heard a low sound of feet scuffling from behind a large rock. "You go on, I'll be right back," he told Michelle.

 She nodded and went ahead.

 He backtracked to the rock and looked behind it. Rude and Tseng were glaring at him.

 "You had a perfect opportunity back in the alley," Tseng nagged.

 "I want to gain her trust first," Reno improvised. "I'll get it done."

 "You know, man, the fact that she's a pretty girl shouldn't stop you," Rude reminded him. "You still gotta do it, I don't care how much u wanna get with her first."

 "I already said I'd do it!" Reno raised, annoyed. "Get off my back!"

 "This is your last chance," Tseng warned. "You're all alone, nobody's around. You do it or I will."

 With that they turned to face the other direction and Reno stalked off toward the beach.

* * *

 By the time Reno found the girl again, she was sitting on the rocks, head resting on her chin. He deeply regretted what he was about to do, she just looked so innocent in the light of the moon.

 He took his Nightstick out and switched it on as he approached her. She looked up and could barely open her mouth to say hello before he locked her shoulders and neck and pressed his nightstick against her skin.

 A million expressions crossed her face as quick as it happened: hurt, fear, regret, anger, and countless other feelings that couldn't be described.

 But instead of killing her, he tossed his weapon to the side and kissed her. And equally surprising, she didn't pull away. She stayed right where she was.

 A hand roughly pulled Reno up, and Michelle in turn.

 "What do you think you're doing?" Tseng demanded. "I told you this was your last chance."

 "Back off," Reno warned. He wasn't scared of Tseng and Tseng knew it. He took a step back.

 "Be smart about this, Reno, and do what you were told."

 Michelle looked confused and scared. What's going on? she panicked.

 Reno shook his head defiantly. "I don't work like this anymore, Tseng."

 "Reno!" Rude was backing Tseng up this time.

 Reno shook his head again.

 Tseng lost all remaining patience and pushed Reno out of the way, raising his own gun. Reno reacted quickly and jumped in Tseng's way right before the trigger was pulled.

 A BOOM erupted and everyone flinched. When their eyes opened, Reno was kneeling on the ground, grimacing in pain.

 Tseng dropped his weapon in surprise and turned to Rude. Rude nodded his head and they turned to retreat, expression returning to normal.

 "Oh, and by the way," Tseng added to Michelle, "I wouldn't get too close to your assassin." With that he and Rude fled.

 Michelle stopped them. "What do you mean?"

 Tseng stopped and turned. "Reno here was hired to kill you."

 "KILL?!"

 Tseng's mouth curved into a slight sickening smile of satisfaction and nodded a final time before disappearing over the rocky hilltops.

 Michelle followed with her eyes until the two men were gone and then looked back down at Reno. She kneeled by his side with a look on her face that crossed between worried, confused, and angry.

 "…Ow." Reno tried to sit up, but leaned on the wrong wounded shoulder and collapsed again.

 Michelle stared down at him. "What were they talking about?"

 Reno tried to cover-up. "I have no clue."

 "Bullshit," she called on it. "You were sent here to *kill* me?"

 "No!" he tried again.

 She sighed in annoyance. "I should leave you here to die you know, just like you were gonna do to me!"

 Reno laughed in spite of himself. "I told you it takes a lot to hurt me."

 Michelle stood up and kicked him in the ribs.

 "Ow!" he laughed as he held the sore spot.

 She shook her head with a stern expression. "It's not funny at all, Reno." She sighed again. "But I'll help you anyway."

 Trying to be lighthearted, he grinned up at her. "Aw, gee, thanks!"

 She didn't react, just supported him on her shoulders and made her way back to inner-Midgar.

* * *

 The next morning went partially as Reno planned. He woke up in bed shirtless, but there was no hot chic next to him. Michelle was asleep in a chair next to him. His shoulder had been bandaged but the wrappings needed to be changed.

 She opened her eyes slightly and her peaceful expression from sleeping changed to a bitter remembrance of the previous night's events.

 "Morning sunshine!" he smiled cheerily.

 She groaned and closed her eyes again. "It's too early, Reno, go back to sleep. You need rest."

 "No can do," he resisted. "My internal clock says that 6:30 is time to start the day."

 Michelle raised an eyebrow and looked at the clock. Sure enough it was 6:30 in the morning and she hadn't even had 6 hours of sleep.

 Reno walked over to the sink and wrapped his shoulder in fresh bandages. He looked over to the side to see the mess leftover. There were many bloody towels, and in the middle of the heap was a small pair of tweezers and a hunk of metal. "You pulled the bullet out of my shoulder?" he asked in admiration.

 "Yes," she replied uninterested.

 "I'm impressed."

 She jerked her eyes open and looked at him. "Huh?!"

 "It takes a girl with guts to search through someone's open wound for a bullet with her bare hands." He shuddered. "That's gross."

 She leaned back again. "I did what I had to do."

 Reno looked up and observed his surroundings. "Where are we?"

 "In my back room of the bar."

 It was surprisingly neat and clean for a bar's back room.

 "Oh, your room, eh?" Reno raised a suggestive eyebrow at her.

 "Ugh, you wish," she retorted.

 He thought for a second. "Yes, I do."

 She gave him a look and he smiled jokingly at her.

 "I'm not in a joking mood," she informed. "When it gets *late* enough, you're going to go on your own way and so will I."

 "Leaving me already? You're going to abandon a dying man?"

 "You said yourself that it takes a lot to hurt you."

 His tone and face turned serious. "I've also said that I never let my emotions get in the way of work."

 Michelle wasn't really sure what he meant, but she had a feeling he was being sincere. "Well still, I have to be on my way soon."

 Reno sat back down on the bed. "Alright. I should be going soon too. I don't think today will be a good day. My ass is gonna get kicked." He laughed to himself.

 Michelle was distracted. I don't want to leave him, she thought.

* * *

 The good-byes were short and unemotional. Reno left first and traveled all the way to the ramble room.

 When he got back, a very angry Tseng and bitter Rude stood at the entrance waiting for him.

 "You are so dead," Rude warned him.

 "Rufus is very upset," Tseng said. "He was being paid a lot of money to get this done and we never fail a mission. You've disgraced the Turks-"

 He was interrupted by Lark. "Hey guys, whatcha talkin' about?" she asked cheerfully.

 Tseng returned the smile and lied, "Not much, Lark, just talking about something we were going to do."

 Now Lark, not really being one to pry, accepted this answer without questioning their intentions further.

 "So-" she began, but was cut off by a scream.

 When she looked up, she saw Michelle standing there with a look of fear on her face.

 "Eep!" Michelle began to run.

 Lark looked at the guys with sweatdrops, then chased after her friend.

 When she finally caught up to her, she grabbed her arm and brought her to a stop. "What's wrong?"

 "Please don't tell me those three live here too," Michelle rushed breathlessly.

 Lark nodded her head confusedly. "They do, why?"

 "They tried to kill me!" Michelle exclaimed.

  Lark shook herself. "What?!"

 "Last night! All three of them!"

 Lark racked her brain as to why they would want to kill her friend. Well they used to kill people for a living, but not anymore…not unless someone paid them…Rufus! He'd hire them for money. Ugh…

 She spoke. "I know what's going on here. Don't worry, they're harmless, really."

 "They didn't seem harmless when Reno got me in a choke hold and when the tall one tried to shoot me!"

 A sweatdrop appeared above Lark's head. "Heh heh, well, they're guys, they play rough!" She tried to smile.

 Michelle gave her a look, but finally followed her back. As Lark planned to get to the root of this, she left Michelle with her three "killers". "Play nice," she warned before going inside.

 They looked at Michelle cowering on a corner of the porch and forced a nice smile. All they got back in return was an angry glare. "Heh heh…"

 Michelle looked straight at Reno and glared. "I thought I was rid of you."

 Reno shook his head. "Nope! But look on the bright side, now I have my own personal barmaid and nurse!" He grinned at her.

 She couldn't help smiling, but it quickly disappeared when she noticed the look of satisfaction on Reno's face.

* * *

 Lark waltzed right up to Rufus and looked him in the eye, putting on a sarcastic smile. He knew he was in trouble.

 "Good afternoon, Lark!" he tried to cheer.

 "Hello, Rufus," she replied. "What have you been up to lately?"

 Busted! "Why, nothing really. Why do you ask?"

 "Really, that's interesting, cuz that's not what Michelle and the Turks are saying." Smile smile.

 Rufus tugged at his collar. "Heh heh, well…"

 "What do you have to say for yourself, Rufus Shin'ra?"

 He broke down and threw himself at her. "SEPHIROTH MADE ME DO IT!!!"

 She was taken by surprise. "Sephiroth? Why would he want Michelle de- oh." She patted Rufus on the head as he let go.

"Good boy." She kissed him on the cheek and he blushed.

 The hard part was finding Sephiroth. When she finally located him he had been outside practicing his fighting moves.

 "Sephiroth!" she called.

 He stopped and turned to her. "What do you want, woman?" he demanded back.

 "Did you tell Rufus to hire the Turks to kill Michelle?"

 He paled. "Did they succeed?!"

 She punched him in the shoulder. "No! I don't want my friend dead! Sephy, I'm surprised at you! You know better than that!"

 "You're right, I shoulda done it myself," he muttered to himself in reply.

 "No!" she scolded. "You shouldn't have done it at all!"

 Sephiroth looked down. "Fine."

 "And as your punishment, you have to clean the ramble room for a week."

 "A week?! Aw come on!"

 "No! Rufus has to do it too, and the Turks."

 "No, wait!" Michelle appeared behind Lark.

 "You have a better suggestion?" she asked.

 "Yeah, for Reno…"

* * *

 Michelle went back onto the porch where Reno was still sitting watching the sunset.

 "Lark told me to give you your punishment."

 He turned to face her and couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat. She truly was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

"Oh? And what will my punishment be, your honor?"

 Michelle sat down next to him and pulled her hair back.

 "I have to do your hair?" he guessed.

 She pointed to the bruise on her neck. "Reno, see this? You did that to me."

 "I don't remember doing that." He winked at her jokingly.

 She rolled her eyes and quipped, "You did, when you put me in a choke hold."

 Reno cringed. "Oh, that."

 "Yeah, that." She mocked. "It hurts."

 Reno rubbed it for her. "Better?"

 "A little. Now as for your punishment-"

 "Please go easy on me," he joked, "I don't handle hard-time well."

 She smiled to herself. "You have to be my personal slave for a week."

 Reno sat thinking about it for a minute. "Like bring you stuff and get you stuff when you want and have me do your laundry?"

 Michelle shook her head with a now-mischievous smile. "Noooo…"

 Reno thought again. "Wha-Oh!" He blushed. "I get it."

 She winked at him.

(Hey, what can I say? I'm forgiving)
 

 And there ya go, the story of how me and Reno met and fell in love ^_^  How sweet!
 


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